Milwaukee restaurant COVID vaccine proof requirements amid omicron

MILWAUKEE - Several Milwaukee restaurants are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination to eat indoors. The policies vary.

At Uncle Wolfie's Breakfast Tavern, anyone who is eligible for a vaccine, so anyone older than 5, is required to show proof of vaccination. If you're eligible for a booster, you'll need proof of that, too. 
While policies vary between restaurants, the reason is all the same: Keeping staff healthy to keep doors open. 

The Odd Duck in Bay View is set to re-open on Wednesday, Jan. 5, closed for a week due to the omicron surge. The restaurant will be re-opening with new policies, including requiring anyone older than 18 to show proof of vaccination.

"I don’t think it’s a bad idea," said Barbara Brandt of Milwaukee. "I mean, keeping everyone safe I think is what it’s all about. If they have to show it, I think that’s fine."

Over on the west side of town Wy'east is requiring proof of vaccination for anyone older than 12 that dine in. No proof is required to pick up takeout. In a statement, the owners said, in part: "This is a business decision; if we must repeatedly close due to COVID exposure or COVID cases it would be very difficult as a small business."

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"You feel safer," said Hannah Yoder of Milwaukee. "You don’t have to worry so much about keeping your mask on or off when ordering and stuff." 

The people FOX6 talked to who were willing to go on camera all supported the idea, but there were others off-camera against it and plenty of angry comments online, including: "Odd Duck, you’ve lost a lot of customers with this kind of irrational segregation."

Both Odd Duck and Uncle Wolfie's have disabled comments on their posts about the requirements. The changes at Uncle Wolfies begin on Friday, Jan. 7. Their post said the comments were turned off because there's nothing else to say.